Gun



G. M. BARNES `Iam. 8, 1935.

GUN

Filed May 51, 195:5 4 sheets-sheen 1 v m2 All.,

S3 Inventur Eladamn.M-E1ar1-Les GUN Filed May 31, 1933 4 seets-sheet 2` lo(n W S l l 04% a E s w n a@ T- .'n' f i if i f Wl/ Q n?, a w b\ m s; mi ll I 'x a %`N i Inventur of TL At to Elademn M Enarne f *i* @y MFM G. M. BARNES `Fan. 8, 1935.

GUN

Filed May 51, 1933 4 Sheets-Sheet. 3

Inventur [Madam-L M Elarnes Attnrf-LE' Jan. 8,1935. G. M. BARNES 1,986,736

GUN

Filed May 31, 1933v 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 is |.h\ Y M .m n u. Ik a iM l fm -dmmm v IM 0W QQ IUQN m i mb N\ m\ d /W mm s J am? mw ma j B Attnr'nay Patented Jan. 8, 1935 GladgnaM. Barnes. United states-Arma 10 Claims.

(Granted unaerthe act of rMarch 3, 188s, as

amended April 30, 1928; '370 0. G. 757.)

` f l'The invention described herein may be nfaetured and usedv bylor for the Governmentfor governmental Dur'. .osssffwithglt ,ihie payment 'i0 melbi any royaltyiheleQP-f The subject of this .invention is a gunnandis an -ir'nprovementon Vthe shown in .Patent The :System Qffflirq line the mevemeit .bf e `gun as proposed inthe patent contemplates the reversal of a portion .of the gases of discharge and theirpcollection. iortutiliaation by compressive action and reaction `to retard the gunin recoil andrestore it-tonbatt 'YQ The present gun', involves the'same principles embodied the .patent iand thef .impoven1ent s are diret to hihaalirrangire t ASiiplilfif .the machen and f die.. hemmberof. parts and the cost` o manufacture.

`Witii 'the feregcing faire other objects .inviernthe invention resides 'in vthe nQVel .lafngement and. combinationio parts and inthe deigails of con ruc'tion hereinafter l clescribed and claimed itl being understood' tlf'iat changes p the V:precise embodiment .of the. invention .herein l. disclosed may be madewithin therscope off What is claimed without departing 'frd'the spiritof the invention. i .A .Y flA practical ernboc'limertofythe.` linvention illustrated vin the' accompanying c lravv'ings.` Wherein: i

"Fig 1 is a gun.

Fig. 2 -is a muzzle.

Figs 3 `and 4 are` sectional views on the cor-responding'lines of Fig.`-`2. c Fig` 5 is an enlargedlongitudinalsectional View through the piston head.

Figs. 6 and 7 are sectional vie-Ws. on vf ,hecorre- Viet in, Side gvationfof the iriidvea longitudinal sectional View of., the

sponding linesof Fig.\5 Figs. 8, 9 and "lelre Views hrelevation of ele'- ments of theV valves inthe piston head. f Fig. '11 is a longitudinal 'sectional view 'fffthe rear end of the pistonjandis'a .continuation 'of Figa Fig. 12 isa of Fig. 17.

Fig. 1 3 `a sectional 'View on the liiie 1-3-"1-3 4of Fig. `11.` i i i 1 Fig. 14 isa planvievv ing from .the cradle. i i

. Fig. 15.1sa `sectional view on `the line 15--15 'ofFig 17., i Figs.` 16 and 17.are aviews'on the corresponding lines of Fig. 15.

-Referring to Fig. 1, ithere is "shown a gun barrel 5 reciprocally.mountediinlaacradle` `6 havingtrun- 11i-ons. :7, at its rearf Eend'` whereby 1it 'is ysupported fiorl movement fin ieleevationg'onfa carriage 6a.

l..fSee'ured.ron .fthe muzzleioi :the 'gun barrel is Va 'sectional [view-on the iine 125:12

showing the cdntrollead- The -lorvvardportion ofthe valve-39 is combined brake and gas collector including?, casing'l (FigjZj spaced radially-`fron the end portienof the barrel and rcarrying varies 9.for deflect#- ing gases rearwardly'.'V A valve casing 10 integral with thecasing `carries a valve' block '11 that is in lfluid communication with the casing 8 through the inlet passage 12. Avalve I3 slidably Vrno'uI-lted in the block '11 has` a head v14 `engageable with the 'lheouter portion of the valve block forms a casing 4for housing a -riut I7 threadedon the valve. The nut is held against rotation'by means of a. pin 18 xed in the casing 16 and it is normally held in rearmost position. against 'the shoulder '19 by means of a spring 2) seated on a plate `21 clos- `ing .tlie'front lendfo the 4casing 16. 'Asquared st'ern'z on the vallveis sldable through the Ahub of agear ,wheel 2 3 ho used between the .plate 421and .a plate 2221.

A cylinderf `thread'-edly connected to the valve casing I10 is similarly secured at its rear end to afStu'ing box 26." (F ig 5). "IT-he stuffing vbox is-mounted in a hanger 2'7 Xed to 'the gun -barrelC-ig. 41) Vand is `madefast to the hanger by means of a collar., v28 -on its forward end -anda retaining Arin`g`29 on its vrear end.

AThe piston "for the cylinde.2`5` comprises a piston Vhead 3 0 and a pistonrod formed of connected tub`e`sd3'1andf'32, (Figs. 5`.a.1f id' 11) the rear tnbe'f32 ha'ving a greater" cross-sectional area than the ifront'i'jube 31. 'The rear tube is secured to a block Vithat is supported trunnions 34 `inthe cradle (Fig. i1). f" Y 1 The piston head 3D (Fig. 5 )ys V*formed with a chamber andwith a plurality` of "longitudinal the chamber'andthe tube`3f1.v Asle'eve-Bsecured tothe front end of the piston'head is formed with avalve seat 38 onfits inner or rear end. A valve 5"9 positioned `in` thecnarnber BSand adapted to engage the val-ve seat 38 is supported by means of guides 4 0 `integral with its Iforward end and engaging the interior o f the sleeve 37. y

. A nut 4 1 on the orirrarc'l extremity ofthe valve .35 passages *.36 establishing communication'between and holding the valve `againstrotation.` Gases .fromme-.Cylinder 25 flowpast theeuides@ and move the Valve 3 9 rearwardly 01T `of the seat 38 untill 1:30111@ .YalVC-isfarrested ,by-.Contacting .the 4rear `Walloffthechamber35.

provided `with an axial passage 44.A communicating `With radial Apassageswli,inrear Eof Ythe VValve face 39a. .A :valve 1.4.6. threaded the Y*valve :39, is movable across the .inner :ends of the radial .passages 45. The., vali/e146 hasfa rpair ,of llugs 147 engageable `in slots 58Y `in the orvvard end for a sleeve 1 Wrench 48W -this -rtatedbyf arl-.Outer .tube A9 extendxiallyf throughs-the tubes. al1 and-32. and the ist Within the front end of the sleeve wrench 48 is a hollow valve seat member 50 which is .held against rotation relative to wrench 48 by means of a threaded connection 50a and has a seatplhj on its rear end. A valve 52 for regulating them -squared rear end of the shaft 97 is slidable in a opening at the seat extends through the hollow member 50 and has a stem 5,3 threaded in `a nut- 50b having an axially slidable connection with g,

the forward end of the member 50. The valve forward end of the tube 54 is closed by `a plug 55,. A port 56 provided in the wrench 48 in front of the tube 54 and in rear'of the valve 52 leads to an inclined passage 57 in the piston head 30. This passage conducts gases to the space between the rear end of the piston head and the stuiing box 26. The gases are admitted to the hollow member 50 through lthe slots 58 in the sleeve wrench 48 and ports 59 inthe `valve 39.

The outer tube 49 (Fig. 11) is rotated by means of a disc 60 on itsrear end and the inner tube 54 is rotated by means of a disc 6l, having an annular row of teeth 61a, which selectively engage a finger 62a on a lock nut 62 squared on the tube 54. A spring 63 and sleeve 64 confined between'the Adiscs maintain the outer tube against the rear face of the block and insures its engagement-with the sleeve wrench. A cover 65 threaded to the block houses the discs. The positions of the discs and the corresponding adjustments of their valves is indicated in any appropriate manner. 'Y

The trunnion block 33 contains an inclined passage 66 establishing communication Abetween the tube 32 and a small tube 67 attached to the rear face of the blockA 33y and to a valve block 68 (Fig. 15')y at the rear end of ,thecradla The tube 67 leads to a passage 69 in the block 468.

A valve casing 70 in the block 68 has its forward end disposed in a cylinder 71'containing lubricant 72. An aperture 73 in the casing admits the lubricant which may ow into a chamber 74 past a valve 75 normally held open by a spring 76. A plug 77 closing the rear end of the casing 70 has an axial passage 78 in which the stem 79 on the rear end of the valve is'insertable. A passage 80 in the stem 79 establishes fluid communication between the passage 78 and the chamber 74 when the valve is closed but not when it is open. The passage78 is open to the passage 69 in the valve block 68 by a connecting passage 78a leadingthrough the plug and casing whereby gas conducted to the chamber 74.

A port 81 in the casing 70 in front of the plug 77 admits lubricant from the chamber 74 to a vertical passage 82 (Fig. 16) in the valve block. The passage 82 leads to a small tube 83 parallel to the tube 67 and by means of a lateral passage 84 it also leads tothe space between a xed outer -33 and is conducted to a peripheral groove 89 between packing rings 49a on the tube 49. The groove is in communication with the interior of the tube 54 through a port 90. At the front end of the tube 54 (Fig, 5) a port 91 conducts the lubricant to a peripheral groove 92 between packing 54a., then by way of port 93'in the sleeve wrench 48 to a groove 94 between packings 48a andthen byv way of port 95 in the piston head 30 to a groove 96 between packings 30a.

VThe-outer tube 85 terminates forwardly in a shaft 97 (Fig. `11) that is internally round and externally square over its rear portion and in- ,mcludes a journal 98 in the hanger 27 (Fig. 5) and a journal 99 in the valve casing 10 (Fig. 2). The

gear 100 (Fig. 11) carried in a hanger 101 that 1is integral with a ring 102 connecting the piston Krod tubes 31 and 32. The front end of the tube 85 forms a bearing for the inner tube 36 and the latter is accordingly provided with a port 103 whereby it receives the lubricant from the space between the tubes.

vA port 104 (Fig. 5) in the inner tube delivers the lubricant through a port 105 in the journal 98, a port 106 in the hanger 27 and ap'ort 107 in the stuiiing box 26 which leads to a groove 108 between the packings 26a, of the stumng box.

A port 109 (Fig. 2) in the inner tube delivers the lubricant through a port 110 in the journal 99, a port 111 in the valve casing 10, a peripheral groove 112 and passage 113 in the valve block '11, Awhich passage leads to the packing 13a ofthe valve 13.

Referring to Fig. 2, aV gear 114 on the front end of the shaft 97 meshes with the gear 23. The gear 100 (Fig. 14) on the rear end of the shaft meshes with a gearing 115 driven by a shaft 116 carried by the cradle. The shaft 116 is driven by means of bevel gearing 117 and spur gearing 118 ywhich includes 'a piniony 119frneshing with an arcuate rack xed to the top carriage of the gun mount. As the` cradle is moved in elevation and depression the shaft 97 is rotated and controls'the amount of opening ofthe valve 13.

In operation when the gun is fired, a portion of the rapidly expanding gases of discharge will be deflected by the vanes 9 of the' muzzle brake and delivered past the valve 13 to the cylinder 25. acted by the forward pressure exerted on the vanes. The gases deliveredvto the cylinder 25 open'the valve 39 in the piston head and ilow freely through the longitudinal passages 36 into the piston rod 31-32 and also past the valve i 523 and through the passage 57 to the space b etween the piston head and stuffing box.

When the pressure in the cylinder 25 and piston rod 31-32 exceeds the rapidly decreasing pressure in the bore of the gun the valve 13 is closed. The gases confined in the cylinder and piston rod 4will be compressed as the forward end of the cylinder approaches the stationary A part of the energy of recoil is counterpiston head and will act to yieldingly check the recoil of the gun, and then move the gun in counterrecoil.

During the counterrecoil stroke of the-gun the volume of the cylinder 25 is increasing and the pressuretherein is correspondingly decreasing so that it isV less than the pressure in rear of the piston head. As a consequence the gases flow forwardly through the passages 36 close the valve 39, and taking the path through the radial passages 45v and axial passage 44v in the valve 39 act on the front end of the cylinder 25 to move the gun into battery. When the cylinder 25 is compression of this portion of the gas contained in the system checks the velocity of the counterrecoiling parts and eases the gun into battery.

The length of recoil is controlled by the degree of opening of the valve 13 which is operated upon movement of the cradle Yin elevation of depression. The length of recoil can be ladditionally shortened by reducing the initial gas volume through the insertion of liners in the piston rod 31-32. l

The velocity of counterrecoil is controlled by adjustment of the valve 46. t o

The employment of a` portion of the gas as a pressure medium to distribute4 a lubricant to Working surfaces and to points requiring a uid seal has been made clear in the detailed description.

The mechanism 122 (Fig. l) for holding the gun in battery forms no part of the present' invention and is similar to that shown in my prior patents.

' I claim:

1. In .a gun, a cradle, a gun barrel reciprocally mounted on the cradle, a cylinder carried by the barrel, means for conducting gases of discharge from the gun barrel into the front end of the `cylinder, a stuiiing box on the rear end of the cylin der, a piston head in the cylinder, a tubular piston rod secured to the piston head, means for trunnioning the rear end oi the piston rod on the cradle, a valve in thepiston headireely admitting passage of gas'intothe piston rod and throttling return of the gas, and a valved passage in the piston head for conducting gas to the space l between the piston head and stuiiingbcx.

2. In a gun, a-cradle, a gun barrel reciprooallyv barrel, means for conducting gasesfof discharge from the barrel into the front end of the cylinder, a piston head in the cylinder, a piston rod secured l to the piston head and trunnioned in the cradle.

4. In a gun, a cradle, a gun barrel reciprocally mounted on the cradle, a cylinder carried by the barrel, means for conducting gasesA of discharge from the gun barrel into the cylinder. a stuffing box on the rear end of the cylinder, a piston head in the cylinder, a piston rod passing through the stuffing box and meansfor admitting gas through the piston head to the space between the piston rod and cylinder for compressive action on counterrecoil of the cylinder.

5. In a gun, a barrel mountedto recoil and `counterrecoily a muzzle brake on the barrel, a valve casing associated with the brake and receiving therefrom a portion of the gases of discharge, a valve block in the casing, a valve slidably mounted in the block, a nut threaded on the stem of the valve, means for holding the nut against rotation, a spring normally holding the nut against the block, means for rotating the valve, and a recoil mechanism utilizing the gas received past the valve for checking recoil and restoring the barrel into battery.

6. In a reciprocating gun, a cylinder movable with the gun, means for conducting gases of discharge from the gun to cylinder, a tubular piston rod stationary relative to the cylinder, a piston head in the cylinder formed with a valve chamber having fluid communication with the cylinder and Y piston rod, a valve mounted in the chamber and movable to interrupt communication from the chamber to the cylinder, a passage in the valve for establishing communication between the chamber and cylinder when the valve is closed, a throttling valve for said passage, an outer tube extending through the piston rod for adjusting the throttling valve, a passage in the piston head for conducting gas from the chamber to the space between the piston rod and cylinder, a valve for regulating flow of the gas to said passage, and a tube within the outer tube for adjusting said valve. '7. In a reciprocating gun, a cylinder movable with the gun, means for conducting gases of discharge from the gun to cylinder, a tubular piston rod stationary relative to the cylinder, a piston head in the cylinder formed With a valve chamber having fluid communication with the cylinder and piston'rod, a valve mounted in the chamber and movable to interrupt communication from the chamber to the cylinder, a passage in the valve for establishing communication between the chamber and cylinder whenthe valve is closed, a throttling valve for said passage, a tube extending through the piston rod foi1 adjusting the throttling valve. 8. In av gun, a reciprocating barrel, a cylinder having a stuiing box and movable with the barrel, said cylinder receiving gases of discharge from the barrel, a valve regulating the flow of gas, a piston head'in the cylinder, a piston rod receiving gas from the cylinder through the piston head, a tube in the piston rod leading to the piston head, a stationary lubricant reservoir on the gun and including a valved chamber for trapping a predetermined quantity of lubricant, means for conductinggas from the piston rod to the valved chamber to expel the lubricant therefrom, a lubricant passage leading from the valved chamber to the tube in the piston rod, and a lubricant passage leading to the stuffing box of the cylinder and to the valve regulating ilow of gas into the cylinder.

9. In a gun, a reciprocating barrel, a cylinder having a stuiing box and movable With the barrel, said cylinder receiving gases of discharge from the barrel,.a valve regulating the flow of gas, a piston head in the cylinder, a piston rod receiving gas from the cylinder Vthrough the piston head, a stationary lubricant reservoir on the gun and including a valved chamber for trapping a predetermined quantity of lubricant, means for conducting gas from the piston rod to the valved chamber to expel the lubricant therefrom, and a lubricant passage leading to the 'stu'ing box of the Cylinder and to the valve regulating flow of gas into the cylinder.

10. In a gun, a support, a cradle trunnioned on the support, a gun reciprocally mounted on the cradle, `a. recoil mechanism utilizing the compressive action and reaction of the gases of discharge to check recoil and restore the gun to battery, a gas passage leading from the gun to the recoil mechanism, a valve in said passage, an arcuate rack xed to the support, a pinion on the cradle meshing with the rack, and means for transmitting the motion of the pinion to the valve.

o GLADEON M. BARNES. 

